Member of Stephen Harper's band faces sex charges

Prime Minister Stephen Harper (left) and Phillip Nolan, who is facing a number of historical sex charges (centre) plays with his band Herringbone at the Negev Dinner 2013, organized by the Jewish National Fund of Toronto, in Toronto December 1, 2013. REUTERS/Aaron Harris

QMI Agency

OTTAWA - A member of the prime minister’s band and Ottawa teacher faces multiple sex-related charges for several historical sex offences.

Police say their investigation began in November, following a complaint of a sex assault on a minor by a man during his role as a teacher for Grade 7 and 8 students.

Philip I. Nolan, 43, was charged Thursday with five counts of sexual assault, five counts of sexual interference and five counts of sexual exploitation, dating back to incidents between 1998 and 2000.

Police confirm Nolan was working as a teacher at an Ottawa school with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board at the time of the alleged assault. Police are concerned that there could be further victims.

““We are obviously shocked and disturbed by these serious charges. No allegations of this nature have ever been brought to our attention. Anyone found guilty of these charges should face the full force of the law,” Harper’s director of communications Jason MacDonald said in a statement.